Panel latch



Aug. 23, 1960 H. H. KOFF PANEL LATCH Filed May 28, 1957 ATTORNEY firesice PANEL LATCH Herman H. Koif, New Providence, N.'J., assignor to BellTelephone Laboratories, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation ofNew York Filed May 28, 1957, Ser. No. 662,120

3 Claims. (Cl. 292-25633) This invention relates to securing means forreceptacle covers and more particularly to a panel latch for a portabletest set.

In communication work, as an example, it is desirable that portabletesting sets include latching devices to enable the set to be opened forinspection, standardization and repair purposes. Due to the nature ofsuch test sets, the latching devices should be of compact design,provide reliable fastening action under substantially all conditions ofhandling, and be adaptable for use in a wide variety of receptacles.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a sturdy latchingdevice of high holding power which can be employed with a variety ofreceptacles of similar configuration without loss in efiectiveness.

It is a more particular object of the invention to provide an efiicient,compact, unitary latching device which does not materially reduce theefiective storing space in a receptacle and produces fastening action ina plurality of directions.

In an illustrative embodiment of the invention the latch comprises abody member including 'a mounting bushing and cam guiding edges orshoulders, a bolt journaled in the mounting bushing, a traveling nutengaging the bolt, a latching element pivoted on the nut and having camsurfaces, and a biasing spring bearing on the latching element andsecured to the nut. Rotation of the bolt causes translation of the nutand results in the latching element under spring pressure being directedangularly with respect to the bolt as a result of contact between thegam guiding shoulders or the receptacle and the cam sur aces.

According to one feature of the invention, the latching element isfreely pivoted on the nut so as to be selflocating and adjusting when itengages a latching surface, thereby enabling the latching device to beemployed with a variety of receptacles without loss in effectiveness.

According to another feature, the device is made in a single assemblywith a retractable latching element, thereby eliminating protrudingmembers during the open condition of the device which require spaceallowance in the receptacle for unrestricted entry and removal of thesemembers.

According to still another feature, the latching element is springloaded and mechanically directed to apply fastening actionsimultaneously in a plurality of directions, e.g., horizontally andvertically.

These and other features of the invention will be more clearlyapprehended from the following detailed description when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 7

Fig. 1 indicates the application of the invention in a portable testset;

Fig. 2 is an exploded view of an illustrative embodiment of theinvention; and

Fig. 3 discloses the latch in assembled condition and serves toillustrate the operation of the invention.

As shown in Fig. 1, a plurality of latching devices are attached to atest panel 11 for connecting together the panel and a receptacle 12 of atest set. It should be understood that the invention is applicable toenclosure covers and sub-assemblies used for other purposes and is notlimited to receptacles used for test sets alone.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, each of the latching devices has a bodymember 13 which includes a tail piece 13a, a D-shaped mounting bushing14 and cam guiding shoulders 15. A bolt 16 having a slotted head 17 isjournaled in the bushing 14 and is engaged by a traveling nut 18, asillustrated in Fig. 3. The outer end threads of bolt 16 are deformedafter assembly of the latch so as to prevent the nut 18 from moving offthe end of the bolt 16. The opposite sides of the nut 18 include notchedcylindrical extensions or pivot pins 19. In the assembled device oneface of the nut is sufficiently close to a surface of the tail piece 13ato prevent its rotation with the bolt. Thus during translation of thenut, these pins move in a plane parallel to said surface of the tailpiece.

A channel shaped latching element 20 includes pivot slots 21 on itsopposite sides for cooperation with the pins 19. A clearance slot 22 forthe nut 18 is located in an intermediate side or base of the element 20.The slots 21 and 22 being located at one end of the latch element 20,permit its rotation about the nut 18. The edges of the channel are camshaped, as at 23, from the end of the latch remote from the pivot to anintermediate point. The cam surfaces cooperate with the cam guidingshoulders 15 to aid in rotating the latch around its pivot. The latchelement 20 includes a rectangular slot 24 adapted to receive the bightof a U-shaped biasing spring 25, the ends of which are coiled about thepivot pins 19 and secured in the notches of these pins. The springsimultaneously retains the element 20 on the nut 18 and imposes apositive pressure on the camming arrangement of members 15 and 23.

Latching devices 10 are mounted on the panel 11 in D-shaped holes whichare near the inturned flange 26 of the receptacle when the panel is inplace, e.g., at the corners of the panel. The D-shaped holes preventrotation of the body members 13, as is well understood in the art. A nut27 is threaded onto each bushing to hold together the panel and thelatching device.

The operation of device 10 will be explained with reference to Fig. 3,and for purposes of explanation, it is arbitrarily assumed thatclockwise rotation of the bolt 16 causes translation of the nut 18upward in the direction of the panel 11 and counterclockwise rotation ofthe bolt 16 causes translation of the nut 18 downward from the panel 11.As the nut 13 moves upward it is apparent that cam surfaces 23 hearingon the shoulders 15 will direct the latching element 20 angularly withrespect to the bolt 16 and against the pressure of the spring 25. Atsome position, depending upon the configuration of the receptacle 12,the cam surfaces will engage the flange 25. The spring action on element20 causes cam surfaces 23 to be guided by the nearest surface (shoulders15 or flange 26) since the element 21) is freely pivoted on the pins 19.The shape of the cam surfaces is such that eventually the element 20 isdirected by the flange 26, instead of the shoulders 15. It will be seenthat slightly higher or lower receptacle flanges than those shown inFig. 3 will not prevent latching action or reduce the effectiveness ofthe latching action due to the self-adjusting and locating ability ofthelatch assembly. Thus, the latching device is capable of use with awide variety of receptacles having similar configuration.

The bolt may be rotated clockwise until the point of the latch 20arrives at the side of receptacle 12, as shown by the solid line view inFig. 3. In this position, an upward force is applied to the flange 26,thereby producing a downward pull on bolt 16. At the same time thehorizontal thrusts on the sides of the receptacle produced bycorresponding latching devices on opposite sides of thepanel result inthe panel being restricted in movement in a horizontal plane; Because ofits unique configuration and novel operation, the latch of thisinvention maybe made smaller than conventional latches that exert forcein one direction omy. Moreover, the multidirectional application of thelatching forces enables. the closed receptacle to' withstand greatforces due to rough. handling.

The, latching device is unlatched by rotating bolt counterclockwisewhich results in element being retraoted along the flange 2s and camshoulder 15 until it folds up against bolt 1:6 as shown by the dottedline view of Fig. 3. Counterclockwise rotation of bolt 16 may continueuntil the'nut 18 contacts the deformed thread of the bolt,. as describedhereinbefore. it will be noted that due to the compact, unitaryconstruction of devicelfi and the retracting nature of the latchingelement 20, there are no protruding members 'of device 10 which requirespace allowance in receptacle 12 for unrestricted passage of thesemembers into and out-ofthe receptacle. Consequently, theusable space inthe receptacle is increased since test components or other units may bemounted under the latching device, Whereas in many conventional latchingdevices such space'is reserved to permit entry and removal of theseprotruding latching members.

It is understood that various modifications may be made in the size,shape, etc. of the latching members by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the present invention; therefore,it is'de. sired that .the particular form of the invention describedherein be considered as illustrative and-not in any sense limiting. I

What is claimed is:

l. A latch comprising a body member including a mountingbushing,cam'guiding shoulders and a tail piece, a bolt journaled in the. bushingin parallel relation to the tail piece, a traveling nut on the bolt,said tail piece inhibiting rotation of the nut, a channel shapedlatching element embracing the nut andpivot thereto, and a U-shapedlatch biasing spring having its ends secured 'to said nut and anintermediate portion bearing on the latching element for biasing saidelement'to a position substantially parallel to said bolt and said tailpiece, said latching element having cam surfaces for bearingon said camguiding shoulders and for engaging a receptacle rim, whereby translationof the nut by rotation of the bolt in one direction deflects thelatching 7 element against the bias of the spring to a'latching positionangular to the bolt and tail piece, and reverse rotation of the boltretracts the latching element.

2. A latch comprising a body member including a mounting bushing, camguiding shoulders, and a tail piece, a bolt journaled in the bushing, atraveling not on the bolt, said tail piece inhibiting rotation of thenut, a latching element pivoted on said nut, and biasing means bearingon the latching element and secured to the nut for biasing saidelementto'a position substantially parallel to said bolt, said latchingelement having cam surfaces for bearing on said cam guiding shouldersand for engaging a receptacle rim, whereby translation of the nut byrotation of the bolt in one direction deflects the latching elementagainst the bias of the spring to a latching rotation of the 1. elementpivoted on said nut and including cam means which cooperate with saidcam guiding shoulders and receptacle for deflecting the element to orfrom a latching position according to'the direction of translation,

said cam surfaces engaging the receptacle in the latching position, andbiasing means, bearing on the latching element and secured to the nut toresist deflection of the element in the latching direction and to aidmovement of the element in the unlatching direction, said latchingelement in the latching position applying fastening action to the paneland receptacle in a plurality of directions and in the unlatchingposition being folded parallel toand against the bolt. V

4. A latching means for fastening a panel to a receptacle, said latchingmeans comprising a body member including mounting means for attachingthe latch to the panel and cam guiding shoulders, -a bolt journaled insaid mounting means, a traveling nut rotationally 'restrained andengaging said bolt whereby rotation of the bolt produces translation ofthe nut, a latching element freely pivoted on said nut and'includingcammeans, said cam means in cooperationwith the cam guiding shoulders andthereceptacle deflecting said'latching element to or from a latchingposition according to the direction of translation, .said latchingelement being selflocating on the receptacle, and biasing means bearingon the latching element and secured to thenut to resist deflection ofthe element in the latching direction and V to aid movement of theelement in the unlatching direction. 7 a

5. A latching means for fastening a panel to' a receptacle, saidlatching means comprising a body member including a mounting means forattaching the latch 'to the panel, a tail piece, and cam guidingshoulders, a bolt journaled in said mounting means, a traveling nutincluding pivot pins being rotationally restrained on said bolt wherebyrotation of the bolt'produces translation of the nut along'the bolt, alatching'elernent including cam surfaces for cooperating with theshoulders and the receptacle, and means for securing said element onsaid pins and normally. biasing said camsurfaces against the shoulders,said element on translation of the nut being alternately guided by. saidshoulders and said receptacle to or from a latching position accordingto the direction of translation. 1'

.6. 'A latching means for fastening a panel to a receptacle, saidlatching means comprising. a bodymember including a mounting means forattaching the latch to the panel, a tail piece, and cam guidingshoulders, a

oolt journaled insaid mounting means, a traveling. nut including pivotpins being rotationally restrained on said bolt whereby rotation of thebolt produces trans} lation of the nut along the bolt, a latchingelement,

and U-shaped means for biasing and securing: said element on saidpins,;said element including cam surfaces cooperating with the shouldersto guide the element to or from engagement with the receptacle accordingto e the direction of translation of the nut, said element beingself-locating and adjusting on the receptacle when in contact therewith.W V

7. The combinationydefined in claim .6 wherein the latching element alsoincludes side and base portions, said element being slotted in'the sidesand base atone end thereof to accommodate the pivot pins and travelingnut, respectively, said slots freely supporting said element on thepins, the end of'the element remote from said slots having an aperturethebase to accommodate the center portion-of the'U-shaped biasing means.

8. A latching means for fastening a panel to a receptacle,-said latchingmeans comprising a body member including a mountingmeans for attachingthe latch to the panel, a tail piece, and cam guiding'shoulders, a boltjournaled in said mounting means, a traveling nut including pivot pinsbeing rotationally restrained on said 5 bolt whereby rotation of thebolt produces translation of the nut along the bolt, a latching elementincluding cam surfaces normally engaging said shoulders, said camsurfaces cooperating with the shoulders to impart a preselected motionto said element to engage or disengage 5 the element and the receptacleaccording to the direction of translation of the nut, and biasing meanssecuring the element to the pins, said biasing means urging the elementagainst the shoulders until the element engages the receptacle whereuponsaid biasing means urges the 10 element against the receptacle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS AdamMay 28, Arndt I an. 6, Frank Mar. 24, Selen May 1, Hammerlyet Mar. 28,V-alelunga Jan. 8,

FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Aug. 27,

